Ismael "Izzy" Marrufo

Master Hair Stylist and Hair Color Specialist in Albuquerque

Serving the unique needs of men & women with super dark hair, ethnic hair, curly or highly textured, or hair with mixed types. Izzy understands New Mexico's hair and its beautiful blend of ancestry including Native American, Asian, Spanish and African. It’s important to adapt hair color and style techniques to the varying needs of different hair types and textures. He is an award winning hair stylist, hair color expert, and a maestro when it comes to highlights, blonding and extreme lightening.

About Izzy

Blonde hair, highlights and balayage, custom lightening and brightening.

All over color for added shine boosting and grey coverage or bold fashion hair color.

Brazilian Blowout Keratin Smoothing along with the Split Ends Treatment.

Treatments that alter the hair's texture like a perm, perm reversal or chemical relaxer.

Gorgeous hair for your Wedding, Quincenera, prom or homecoming.

Get the perfect haircut to suit your style and flatter your features.

Get a haircut and style you can easily recreate at home. Expertise in ALL hair textures.

Never sat in Izzy's Chair?

You're in for a treat with this special offer for new clients only. Save $10!

NEW CLIENT OFFER

TALK TO A PRO

Take a seat in Izzy's Chair. He's an expert with curly hair, highly textured hair, ethnic hair, and hair of mixed textures.

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Free Consultations

Consultations are idea sessions and take about 20-30 minutes. Discuss your hair goals, share ideas and get honest feedback from with an industry professional stylist.

private hair lessons izzy's chair albuquerque

Private Lessons

Need help styling your hair at home? Book a one-on-one hair class with Izzy. You'll start from the beginning with a shampoo/blowout in this style and learn session.

strand test hair izzy's chair albuquerque

The Strand Test

When I need to assess the integrity of your hair and get an accurate history of your chemical services, I perform a strand test. It's free and requires only 6 strands of your hair.

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Add Instant Length and Volume with Hair Extensions

We have worked with a LOT of hair extensions and can tell you from personal experience that there is no such thing as a universal hair extension. After years of experience, we've decided on a selection of hair extensions that covers all the bases.

Start with a Free Hair Extensions Consultation

If you're serious about extensions and want to learn more, come in for a free consultation. Learn more about the hair extensions we offer, discuss the best options for your hair type and style, and get a quote for the service.

Our Hair Extensions Services

FREE Hair Extensions Consultation

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Rave Reviews for Izzy Marrufo, Authentic New Mexico Hair Stylist & Ethnic Hair Expert

Stacy Rice
Ismael is so very professional and really listens to you and strives to give you what you ask for. I have been very satisfied and pleased with every hair appointment. HIGHLY recommend
Stella
Ismael is my hair dresser and he is amazing! My hair looks like a TV commercial!

Leave a Review for Izzy

Frequently Asked Questions

Booking an Appointment

What are your hair salon hours?

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I am currently serving my clients inside of Ruby Blue Hair Studio in Albuquerque. My hours may differ from the official hours posted on their website.  Typically I work Tuesday through Saturday starting at 10 am, and I'm off for most major holidays. Please visit https://www.izzyschair.com/contact/izzys-chair-hair-salon/ for more information.

How do I book a hair appointment?

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All the information you need about booking an appointment can be found here.

How do I book a Free Consultation?

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I am happy to offer a FREE in-person consultation as an idea session, not a styling session, lasting about 20-30 minutes. You can learn more about my free consultation sessions here https://www.izzyschair.com/free-consultation/.

Please note that a $25 deposit will be required to secure your appointment. Once I confirm an appointment date and time, I will ask for your payment information.  Provided that you show up for your appointment, or change your appointment with ample notice, your card will not be charged.

When should you book a free consultation? Anytime you are unsure about what service you should book next, or if you are planning a big change, you should start with a consultation.  There are no limits as to how many free consultations you can book.

Book a free consultation for:

  • Planning a new hairstyle or hair color
  • Learning if hair extensions could work for you
  • Brainstorming the hairstyle for your wedding day

I also require a consultation for certain chemical services so that I can perform a strand test.

  • color correction services
  • perms or relaxers

 

My Services

Does Izzy offer Hair Lessons?

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I've had several clients over the years come to me asking for basic styling advice. They were either struggling with the blowdry at home or forever searching for a product that would help their hair hold a style. So I decided to offer a hair tutorial session. We'll talk about your hair type and texture, demonstrate the best styling technique and discuss how to choose products that will work for you. Feel free to show me the products and tools that you're using at home.

Learn more here.

If you' like to book a hair tutorial session, please submit an appointment request and select that option.

 

Does Izzy do wedding hair?

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Yes, I do hair for brides, bridal parties, hair for quinceaneras, proms and homecoming. Anytime your hair will be facing the cameras. My pricing is great, so don't skimp on style when it matters the most!

  • Party Hair for $25+
  • Formal Hairstyles for $45+
  • Bride's Hair Consultation + Trial Run - My Pre-Wedding Package is just $45!

And for the day of the wedding, my prices are still fantastic.

  • Bride's Hair starts at $45 and increases with complexity.
  • Bridal Party Hair $45 for classic updos, and if for large bridal parties, I'll give a discount.

Clients often ask "do you do makeup?" I do not offer makeup application services. Hair is my passion and that's where I keep my focus. If you are looking for a makeup artist, please inquire. I may be able to make a few suggestions.

What are the prices at Izzy's Chair?

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You can find my service list and pricing here: https://www.izzyschair.com/price-list/.

Please note, my listed prices are a "starting at" point. That cost of that service may increase slightly for hair that is extra long, super dense, or if you require extra bowls of color, bleach or keratin.

Custom Lightening

Can I go from dark hair to blonde?

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I have a lot of beautiful blonde clients...and there are few natural blondes in New Mexico. I specialize in blonde hair and highlights, which I refer to as custom lightening, because everyone's path to blonde hair is different. I have a lot of experience with extreme lifting so I can get dark hair tones to blonde. But trust me when I tell you that blonde hair is a journey. It may take time and a little patience to get you to the blonde you want to be, but with expertise, it can be done.

Learn more about my blonding services, including all over blonding, highlights and balayage.

What is balayage vs highlights?

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Foil highlights and balayage are similar. In both methods, a lightening agent is used to create highlights. Either way, I use a small brush to paint the lightener on select sections of hair. When it comes to the placement of the highlights, things start to differ.

When I'm performing a foil technique, I'm taking slices of hair, then stroking on the lightener from the roots to the tips, completely coating the section of hair. I wrap each section in foil to keep the hair warm and moist, extending the dry time a bit. I repeat the process uniformly around the head.

Results: Foil highlights create visible blonde at the roots and at the part area. And because the foils allow the lightener to work longer, the level of lift is a brighter.

When I use the balayage technique, my painting technique is much different.  I'm still picking up slices of hair, but I'm not coating the entire section with lightener. I'm taking a more 3D approach, placing the highlights where the light naturally cascades. And I don't start tight to the scalp, but focus on the mid-length to the ends. Rather than wrap the strands in foil, I typically place plastic in between sections to prevent the lightener from transferring to other pieces.

Results: Balayage sections of hair dry a bit faster, so the level of lift is more subtle, especially when just focused on midway to the ends. A darker base color is visible at the roots and part area.

View pictures of my work in my gallery.

 

Do you offer Olaplex?

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There is a lot to be said for the new technology that brought bond builders to the hair industry.  Bond builders are a total game changer for hair colorists like me who do a lot of custom blonding as well as color correction services.

Bond Builders can be mixed in to a hair color formula in order to prevent damage during the chemical process. For my clients, bond builders strengthen the hair and visibly repair damage and split ends, which means they can color more often without risk. My go-to bond builder is The Hair Supporter by Alfaparf. Designed to repair broken or weak bonds during the chemical process, it’s the same concept as Olaplex but I find it to be more conditioning. And that is super important in my world because of all the extreme lifting and color correction that I do. The Hair Supporter is designed to work with the Alfaparf color line, although I can mix it with other color lines. For someone who always wants to be as blonde as possible, adding a bond building treatment can really make a difference in the strength and integrity of the hair.

Read more about my custom lightening services.

Follow Me @Izzyschair

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